Lobelia plant named &#39;Sunlobe Toresubu&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’, characterized by its outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; relatively large lavender to pale blue-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Lobelia erinus

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘SUNLOBE TORESUBU’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new outwardly spreading, freely-branching and bushy Lobelia plants with large attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 06Lob-3A-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 06Lob-3A-2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative cuttings in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since April, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’ as a new and distinct Lobelia plant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Relatively large lavender to pale blue-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more outwardly spreading than         and not as mounding as plants of the parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia and the parent selections differ in         flower color as plants of the parent selections have         blue-colored flowers with white-colored centers.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia erinus ‘Loboudtis’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,526. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Lobelia differed from plants of ‘Loboudtis’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were taller and broader than plants         of ‘Loboudtis’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Loboudtis’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Loboudtis’.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia and ‘Loboudtis’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Loboudtis’ had darker violet blue-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lobelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia plant. The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’ grown in a container. The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lobelia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia             erinus identified as code number 06Lob-3A-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia             erinus identified as code number 06Lob-3A-2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; relatively dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading plant habit;             freely branching habit with lateral branches developing at             potentially every node; dense and bushy plant habit;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 53 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Aspect: Outwardly spreading. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 138A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137D; venation, close to 137D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement, habit and shape.—Flowers typically             arranged in terminal and lateral racemes; flowers face             mostly outwardly to slanting downward; freely flowering             habit with about five flowers per inflorescence and about             320 flowers developing per plant; flowers bilabiate with two             upper petals and three larger lower petals.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—In Japan, plants of the new             Lobelia flower continuously from May until October; early             flowering habit, plants begin flowering about three to four             weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual             flowers is highly dependent on temperature, flowers             typically last about 10 to 14 days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 8 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.4 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 9.5 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3.6 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 3.7 mm.             Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Close to 85A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals fused             towards the base; two upper petals and three larger lower             petals. Upper petals: Length, beyond throat: About 8.3 mm.             Width: About 3.4 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Lower petals: Length, beyond throat: About 1 cm. Width:             About 7.1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Mucronate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper petals: When opening, upper surface: Close to 94B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 94D. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 94D and 97B; color does not change             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 94D;             color does not change with development. Color, lower petals:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 94B. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 94D. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 94D and 97B; color does not change with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 94D;             color does not change with development. Color, throat, upper             and lower petals: Close to 92D and NN155C; spots, close to             N88A; nectar guides, close to N154B. Color, tube, upper             petals: Close to 92A; towards the base, close to 90C. Color,             tube, lower petals: Close to 92B with spots, close to 90D;             towards the base, close to NN155C.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at             the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 6.2 mm. Width:             About 1.2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 138B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 138A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 0.6 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 138A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 7.5 mm. Anther size: About 1.1 mm by             2.7 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Close to 79A.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4D. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 7.2 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-lobate. Stigma color: Close to 86B. Style             color: Close to 144C. Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Lobelia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 28° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘Sunlobe Toresubu’ as illustrated and described. 